Tax Preparation Software

Review of the TaxAct Deluxe tax preparation software program. TaxAct Deluxe is recommended for its interactive tax calculator, a feature missing in other programs. TaxAct isn't for everyone though.

I-CAN E-file is a free, Web-based tax preparation service operated by the Legal Aid Society of Orange County. Web users should be aware that their tax return data can be accessed without logging in, a major security flaw that can expose users to identity theft. Not recommended.

Review of the TurboTax tax preparation software program. Overall TurboTax is recommended for its easy to understand interview that keeps you moving through the tax return.

Filing an extension is super easy. By filing an extension, the IRS will give you an extra six months to file your tax return without penalty. The normal deadline to file your return is April 15, 2009. With an extension, your deadline to file a tax return will be October 15, 2009. However, an extension of time to file is not an extension of time...

TaxBrain uses forms-style data entry screens to gather your tax information. TaxBrain offers faster tax preparation for straightforward tax returns. Taxpayers with more complex tax returns will need to spend extra time working with long, data-entry forms for business income, investments, and itemized deductions. TaxBrain works best for...

Find the best tax calculators and tax tools to help you prepare your tax return, understand your paycheck, or plan for next year. Top picks for free online tax calculators, tools, and worksheets.

Find objective reviews of income tax software based on thorough testing. Plus top picks and links to the best free tax software for preparing your 2005 taxes.

The IRS "Free File" offers free tax preparation software to prepare and e-file your 1040. Find the best free-file service for you with reviews and links to the IRS Free File program.

Review of the web-based tax software program CCH Complete Tax. Recommended for most tax situations. Barebones user interface doesn't feature unnecessary bells-and-whistles.

Review of TaxCut Premium tax preparation software. Quick and easy tax preparation, with just a few drawbacks for complex tax issues. For simple tax returns, I rate TaxCut very highly.

The following tax scenarios were used when I test tax preparation software for the year 2006.

Review of TaxAct Online Standard 2004 tax preparation Web-based software program. TaxAct Online is highly recommended for people with straightforward tax situations who want to prepare their tax return quickly and accurately. Web and download versions of TaxAct are compared.

Review of TaxCut 2004 for the Web tax preparation software. Quick and easy tax preparation, with just a few drawbacks for complex tax issues. For simple tax returns, I rate TaxCut very highly. If you have to depreciate any assets at all, don't bother with TaxCut unless you know depreciation inside and out.

H&R Block TaxCut (Free File version) provides free access to the TaxCut Premium software, which is a top-rated tax prep software package. With the Free File version, users have access to all of TaxCut Premium's tools, forms, and tips. The software did not, however, detect a typo when entering my W2 (a common tax prep mistake). Overall, TaxCut is one of the very best free file software programs available. Highly recommended.

Review of the TurboTax for the Web 2004 tax preparation software program. Overall: TurboTax for the Web is highly recommended for both simple and complicated tax returns because of its easy to understand interview questions and skillful handling of more complicated tax issues.

TurboTax (Free File version) provides free access to the Intuit's TurboTax, which is a top-rated tax prep software package. With the Free File version, users have access to TurboTax's tools, forms, and tips. TurboTax (Free File Edition) caught a typo I made when entering my W2. This is a common tax prep mistake, and TurboTax was one of two Free File software programs that caught the error. Very highly recommended.

Quicken Rental Property Manager is recommended for rental property owners who need a quick and easy application to keep track of rental income and expenses. In particular, Quicken Rental Property Manager is highly recommended for landlords who are currently tracking rental income and expenses using paper reports or Excel spreadsheets.

After having reviewed all the top PC-based and Web-based software programs, I think picking the right tax software comes down to two things: how complex your tax situation is, and how much you want to spend on the software program. Here's top picks for various situations.

Find software to prepare your 2003 tax return.

The top picks for tax software to help you prepare your 2004 tax return.

Review of the web-based tax software program Complete Tax. Highly recommended for professional-style tax preparation.

Review of the TaxAct Deluxe 2004 downloadable tax preparation software program. TaxAct Deluxe is recommended for its interactive tax calculator, a feature missing in other programs. TaxAct isn't for everyone though.

TaxACT Free File version provides free access to the TaxACT from 2nd Story Software, which is a top-rated tax prep software package. With the Free File version, users have access to TaxACT's tax preparation software, but not access to tips and tools available only in the paid Deluxe version. TaxACT Free File caught a typo I made when entering my W2. This is a common tax prep mistake, and TurboTax was one of two Free File software programs that caught the error. Very highly recommended.

I found ezTaxReturn pretty easy to use and quick. The user interface is clean and easy to understand. I was able to finish my sample tax return in less than half an hour. ezTaxReturn's clean interface helped keep me working through all the data entry with a minimum of confusion.

Review of the At Home tax preparation software from H&R Block. At Home offers quick and easy tax preparation, with just a few drawbacks for complex tax issues. For simple tax returns, I rate At Home very highly. At Home was previously branded as TaxCut.